Component Management via Secure Communications

1. A method to establish secure communications to manage components of a control system, the method comprising: receiving a request to join a first hardware component to a cluster of hardware components; verifying the first hardware component based on a class of the first hardware component by matching the class to a predetermined list of expected classes including: a critical operation class, an entertainment class, an environment class, and a peripheral class; marking a command from the first hardware component with a signature; establishing a secure communication path between the first hardware component and a second hardware component from the cluster based on the signature; transmitting the command between the first hardware component and the second hardware component through the secure communication path; preventing a transmission and an execution of another command associated with the first hardware component in response to a determination that the other command lacks the signature; and in response to detecting a removal of the first hardware component: marking a further command with the signature to reset the cluster to an unsigned state in association with the first hardware component; and transmitting the further command to the cluster.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising: forming an encrypted virtual private network (VPN) tunnel within which to establish the secure communication path using a public key, a private key of the first hardware component, and another private key of the second hardware component.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising: storing a system key to generate the signature.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising: detecting the request in response to an installation of the first hardware component; receiving the public key and the class of the first hardware component within the request; determining the class to match the predetermined list of expected classes; and generating the signature using the system key to sign the public key and the class of the first hardware component.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising: transmitting the signature hack to the first hardware component; storing the signature; activating a predetermined setting to disregard another join request from the first hardware component; and enabling the first hardware component to operate within an operational control system.

6. A computing device of a vehicle configured to establish secure communications to manage components of a control system, the computing device comprising: a memory; a processor coupled to the memory, the processor executing an application in conjunction with instructions stored in the memory, wherein the application is configured to: receive a request to join a first component to a cluster of component; verify the first component based on a class of the first component by matching the class to a predetermined list of expected classes including: a critical operation class, an entertainment class, an environment class, and a peripheral class; mark a command from the first component with a signature; form an encrypted virtual private network (VPN) tunnel using a public key, a private key of the first component, and another private key of a second component from the cluster; establish a secure communication path between the first component and the second component within the cluster based on the signature using the encrypted VPN; transmit the command between the first component and the second component through the secure communication path; and in response to a detection of a removal of the first component: mark another command with the signature to reset the cluster to an unsigned state in association with the first component; and transmit the other command to the cluster.

7. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the application is further configured to: mark a sequence with the signature; and transmit the sequence with the command from the first component to the second component to prevent a replay attack.

8. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein the application is further configured to: determine an authority of the first component to transmit the command to the second component; verify the signature and the sequence at the second component; and execute the command at the second component in response to determining the first component having the authority.

9. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the critical operation class includes at least one of: an accelerator unit, a brake unit, a steering unit, and a cruise control unit.

10. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the entertainment class includes at least one of a CD player, a DVD player, a cassette player, a navigation unit, a speaker system, and a display unit.

11. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the environment class includes at least one of an air conditioning unit, a seat heater unit, a seat cooler unit, a window control unit, and a sun shade control unit.

12. The computing device of claim 6 , wherein the peripheral class includes at least one of a lighting control unit, a sunroof control unit, and a turn signal control unit.

13. An operational control system configured to establish secure communications to manage components, the operational control system comprising; a controller, a first component, and a second component executing a distributed application, wherein the application is configured to: receive a request to join the first component to a cluster of components; verify the first component based on a class of the first component by matching the class to a predetermined list of expected classes including: a critical operation class, an entertainment class, an environment class, and a peripheral class; mark a command from the first component with a signature; form an encrypted virtual private network (VPN) tunnel using a public key, a private key of the first component, and another private key of the second component from the cluster; establish a secure communication path between the first component and the second component within the cluster based on the signature using the encrypted VPN; transmit the command between the first component and the second component through the secure communication path; and in response to a detection of a removal of the first component: mark another command with the signature to reset the cluster to an unsigned state in association with the first component; and transmit the other command to the cluster.

14. The operational control system of claim 13 , wherein the application is further configured to: store a system key to generate the signature; detect the request in response to an installation of the first component; receive the public key and the class of the first component within the request; and determine the class to match a predetermined list of expected classes.

15. The operational control system of claim 14 , wherein the application is further configured to: generate the signature using the system key to sign the public key and the class of the first component; transmit the signature back to the first component; store the signature; activate a predetermined setting to disregard another join request from the first component; and enable the first component to operate within the operational control system.

16. The operational control system of claim 13 , wherein the application is further configured to: prevent a transmission of another command associated with the first component lacking the signature; and prevent execution of another command associated with the first component lacking the signature.

17. The operational control system of claim 13 , wherein the application is further configured to: mark a sequence with the signature; transmit the sequence with the command from the first component to the second component to prevent a replay attack; determine an authority of the first component to transmit the command to the second component; verify the signature and the sequence at the second component; and execute the command at the second component in response to determining the first component having the authority.